Support for fire-extinguishers



w. 1. mmm. SUPPORT' FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS.

AFPLICATION FlLED AUG-2. 1919- rlmltefl July 27, 1920.

IOIUPIII [uw 1 5 ru OO INVENTOR WALTER J. BLENKO, OF LANCASTER, OHIO.

SUPPORT FOR FIRE-EXTINGUISHERS.

Application 1ed August 2, 1919.

To all @from z'zf may concern.'

Be 1t known that I, YWALTER J. BLENKO, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of Lancaster, in the countyof Fairfield and State of Ohio, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Supports for Fire- Extinguishers; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a lull, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a bracket or support for fire-extinguishers.

The principal objection to the use of the one quart type offire-extinguisher in buildings and manufacturing plants is the fact thatthese extinguishers, being so small, are frequently tampered with, orare used by employees to see how they work.7 In the event of a lire itis often found that the extinguisher has lost its contents for thesereasons, or because of evaporation or leakage if the machine has notbeen properly sealed. In plants where these extinguishers are frequentlyused it is not an uncommon thing to find a number of extinguishers thathave been used on a fire and then returned to their brackets empty.

This condition is a positive menace, because it gives a false sense ofsecurity and means a loss of time in trying to use an empty extinguisherin case of re.

My invention is a bracket, or holder, which removes this danger byautomatically and positively indicatingl at all times whether 'theextinguisher contains its full charge.

As the effectiveness of the one-quart machine depends on the contents(carbon tetrachlorid-a very heavy liquid as a base) rather than actualmechanical construction, it will be seen that if the extinguisher isrefilled with water, as is frequently done by persons ignorant of theoriginal contents, it will be almost valueless as a fire extinguisher,besides being dangerous to use around .electrical machinery. My devicewill also indicate the fact that the machine is not in working order inthe event that it is filled with water or any liquid lighter than theoriginal charge. It will also operate if the machine'is only partlyfilled with the proper charge. y

My invention comprises the novel features hereinafter set forth andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l is a side elevation partly insection of my improved support or bracket showing the parts in normalposition; and Fig. 2 is a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1920.

Serial No. 315,008.

like view showing the position of the parts where the extinguisher isempty or needs refilling. Fig. 3 is detail of signal.

In the accompanying drawing the numeral 2 designates the bracket orsupport for the extinguisher 2a, said support being of any suitableconstruction to hold the extinguisher securely therein whether invertical position or in an inclined position, and accordingly saidbracket has the lower arm or flange 2b and the upper clamp 2 connectedby the rear plate 2d.

The bracket 2 is connected to the wallplate 3 by the hinge-member'a, onestrap 4L of the hinge being secured to the back plate 2d of the bracket,and the other strap 4b being connected to the plate 3 by rivets 4", saidrivets engaging the slots 3 in the Wallplate 3, thereby providing forthe vertical movement of the hinge strap 4b.

A spring 6 is connected to the upper end of the hinge strap lb the upperend of said spring being secured to the bolt 7 passing through thebracket 7b, and the nut 7 is applied to the upper end of the bolt foradjusting the tension of the spring 6.

Secured to the wall-plate 3 is the latchhook 8 which is adapted toregister with the opening 9 in the back-plate 2d ofthe bracket 2 tosupport the extinguisher in vertical or normal position. Y

Secured to the upperend of the bracket 2 is the linkage 5 which isconnected to the wall-plate 3 so as to have an up and down movement withreference thereto, and accordingly the strap 5fL lof said linkage isconnected to the wall-plate 3 by a rivet 5b which moves in the slot 5Cin said wallplate. Y

A target or signal 10 is connected to the linkage 5 and when theextinguisher is in normal `position this signal is held out of sightbetween the links of the linkage 5 as clearly shown in Fig. l. When theextinguisher falls from its normal position this signal moves into viewand is held erect by the spring legs llvwhich bear against the linkageon opposite sides of the pivotal points of the links.

When the filled extinguisher is inserted in the bracket 2, which in itsempty state hangs forward, the extinguisher is pushed back against thewall until the latch 8 enters the opening 9, whereupon the latch holdsthe bracket and extinguisher in the position indicated in Fig. 1. rlheweight of the extinguisher expands thespring 6. The hinged member t andthe linkage slide down in the slots 3a and 5b of the wallplate 3. Thelinkage 5 folds up with the signal l0 held between the same. If, for anyreason, the extinguisherloses a portion of its contents-the weight ofwhich por'- tion may be predetermined by the adjustment ofthe nut T-thespring 6 overcomes the action ofv gravity and raises the mechanism sothat the latch 8 releases the bracket and the extinguisher falls forwardto the position indicated in Fig. 2. This extends the linkage 5 andthrows the signal down into position indicated in Fig. 2 so that notonly the position of the extinguisher but the signal as well is awarning that the extinguisher is either empty or lacks the proper amountof fluid, or may contain a lighter liquid such as water:

y my invention I provide a safety bracket which will positively indicatethat the extinguisher is out of working order by making the extinguisheritself move automatically from its normal to abnormal position, and inaddition the signal operates automatically and is much more effectivethan a spring dial which is ordinarily-too small to be seen from anydistance, and in many plants is soon covered with a layer of dirt orscale.

What I claim is Y '1. In an apparatus of the character described, thecombination of a vertically arranged tiltable bracket or support for theextinguisher, means for maintaining the bracket in normal position bythe weight of the extinguisher, and means operative by the 'decrease inthe weight of the extin` guisher, whereby the support or bracket movesto tilted position.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of atiltable bracket or support for supporting the fire-extinguisher, alatch for holding said bracket in Y normal position, and means operativeby the decrease in weight of the extinguisher for releasing said bracketfrom said latch, whereby the bracket moves into tilted position. Y

3. In an apparatus of theV character described, the combination of atiltable support or bracket for supporting the lire-extinguisher, awall-plate, said bracket mov-V able vertical with reference to saidplate, a

latch engaging said bracket when in normal position, and a springoperative by the decrease in weight of the extinguisher adapted to liftsaidy bracket whereby said bracket is released from said latch and movedto tilted position.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of asupport or bracket for supporting the fire extinguisher, a wall-plate, avertically movable hinge member secured to said plate, and to saidbracket, a linkage connecting the upper end of said bracket with Vsaidwall-plate, said linkage having a vertically movable connection withsaid plate, a latch engaging said bracket to hold the same in verticalposition, and a spring connected to said hinge member, a support for theotherV end of said spring, whereby when the weight of said extinguisheris decreased said spring operates-to release said bracket from saidlatch.

In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a support orbracket for supporting the lire-extinguisher, a wall plate, a verticallymovable hinge member secured to said wall plate and to said bracket, alinkage connecting the upper end of said bracket to said plate by avertically movable connection, a latch adapted to engage said bracket, aspring secured to said hinge member, a support for the other end of saidspring, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring.

G. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of avertically arranged tiltable support or bracket for supporting thelire-extinguisher, means for maintaining the bracket in normal positionby the weight of the extinguisher, means operative by the decrease inweight of the extinguisher whereby the support or bracket moves totilted position, and a signal exposed by the tilting of said bracket.

7. ln apparatus of the character described,

the combination of a support or bracket for supporting thefire-extinguisher, a wallplate, a vertically movable hinge memberconnected to said wall-plate and to said bracket, a linkage connectingthe upper end of said bracket to said wall-plate by vertically movableconnection, a latch engaging said bracket, a spring connected to saidhinge member, a support for the other end of said spring, and a signalconnected to said linkage and held between said linkage when in f foldedpcsition, and means for swinging said signal into the same verticalplane as said linkage when extended, and means for supporting saidsignal in this position.

In testimony whereof, I, the said I*VAL'LER J. BLnNxo, have hereunto setmy hand.

WALTER J. stanno.

lVitnesses I H. B. EYM-AN, DELBERT MGCLAIR;

